DeafLearning, a project developed by ESILV engineering students, won first place in the category of Data Science at the Bayer Digital Campus Challenge held at Bayer headquarters, in Leverkusen Germany, between famous neighbours Dusseldorf and Cologne. ESILV’s team finished second place out of 832 participants from 74 countries and 320 projects featuring four categories: Cloud and Integration, Cybersecurity, Machine & Deep Learning and Data Science.
Agathe Delas, Axel Thevenot, Paul Peter Arslan and Reza Zohrabi, part of ESILV class of 2021 and members of the Devinci Innovation Center, are at the origin of the Deaf Learning project, an intelligent mirror that allows deaf children learn reading skills.
DeafLearning, a connected mirror and a media device
The “magic mirror” incorporates several technologies that make the task of learning to read more accessible for children who cannot hear. This connected device equipped with artificial intelligence integrates an NFC sensor, which allows users to identify and load applications and preferences.
The mirror uses a camera which constantly feeds an artificial intelligence based on deep learning methods. More precisely, the device uses a trained 3D pose estimation model in order to get 3D coordinates of the user body and fingers and to detect signs. The mirror can analyze user motion thanks to its camera and interact with the user by drawing on the user’s body on the mirror itself. It can also project virtual elements in the user background.
Thus, the project proposes an interactive media conceived as a media in its own right that offers a wide range of new possibilities: for example, augmented reading experiences.
Bayer Digital Campus Challenge 2019
832 participants from 74 countries and 320 projects participated in the 2019 edition of the Bayer Digital Campus. For the fourth consecutive year, the competition challenged students from all technological backgrounds to project themselves into computerized words of the Group.
The projects that took part in the competition were expected to enable Bayer to directly address a question : “How digital will Bayer be in 2030?”
The German pharma giant Bayer is looking for answers from students from all over the world from the fields of mathematics, science, technology and engineering.
The idea behind DeafLearning originated in an ambition to optimize the marriage of health care and technology while helping thousands of people who are hard of hearing. ESILV’s team project was selected by a jury of experts in Big Data, Cloud, Data Science, Digital Strategy… But it was, above all, the team cohesion that made all the difference against 320 competing projects.
“There was a lot of nice synergy in our team who helped us during the pitching phase to answer the questions of jury members. Any time the jury had a question one of us couldn’t answer, someone else from the team immediatly came up with an answer. Overall, the jury appreciated the idea of the magic mirror.” (Agathe Delas)
Deaf Learning team presents its pitch at Bayer Digital Campus Challenge and answers questions from the jury
“The input of the ESILV and the Pole Leonard de Vinci has been received recognition in this challenge. We were able to present ESILV to the Agorize platform, in particular, which is interested in a collaboration with the Pole Leonard de Vinci.” (Paul Peter)
“Our prize is the recognition that this challenge has brought us, the opportunity to make contacts and exchanges with employees of the Bayer Group and with other university teams around the world. We were treated like VIPs!” (Axel Thevenot)
Agathe, Paul, Axel and Reza have the ambition to create four magic mirrors before the next autumn season. The devices will be donated to schools for deaf students nationwide and the data will be collected for research purposes.
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